In the prior art, there are devices for barricading a door. U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,252 (Calle et al.) discloses one such device. In Calle et al.'s patent, a cross bar pivots from a hinge assembly that is mounted to a door frame. To barricade the door, the cross bar pivots down to engage a locking brace that is attached to another part of the door frame.
Another prior art device is described in German Pat. No. DE202006008723U1 (Hogl). In Hogl's device, a locking rod (“sperrstange 14”) must be manually (a) lifted from the floor using a knob (“knauf 15”), (b) the rod must be rotated until the rod is aligned with a bracket, and (c) axially moved until the rod engages with the locking member (“sperrglied 6”). Successfully accomplishing these operations with one hand would be difficult, and for some people would be impossible—so, two hands are likely necessary to lift, rotate, and axially move the rod in order to achieve barricading of the door. Furthermore, Hogl's device requires the user to stand while barricading the door.
These devices and others in the prior art are difficult to use, especially for children, a person in a wheelchair, or a person that is crouching or lying on the floor. In a situation in which an intruder has entered a building, the prior art devices would likely prove inadequate because operating them is complicated and may be unsafe, thereby increasing the likelihood that a door will not be barricaded in time to prevent an intruder from entering the room.